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The Lord Appears to Samuel

In those days, when the boy Samuel was serving the Lord under the direction of Eli, there were very few messages from the Lord, and visions from him were quite rare. One night Eli, who was now almost blind, was sleeping in his own room; Samuel was sleeping in the sanctuary, where the sacred Covenant Box was. Before dawn, while the lamp was still burning, the Lord called Samuel. He answered, “Yes, sir!” and ran to Eli and said, “You called me, and here I am.”

But Eli answered, “I didn't call you; go back to bed.” So Samuel went back to bed.

6-7 The Lord called Samuel again. The boy did not know that it was the Lord, because the Lord had never spoken to him before. So he got up, went to Eli, and said, “You called me, and here I am.”

But Eli answered, “My son, I didn't call you; go back to bed.”

The Lord called Samuel a third time; he got up, went to Eli, and said, “You called me, and here I am.”

Then Eli realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy, so he said to him, “Go back to bed; and if he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.

10 The Lord came and stood there, and called as he had before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Samuel answered, “Speak; your servant is listening.”

11 The Lord said to him, “Some day I am going to do something to the people of Israel that is so terrible that everyone who hears about it will be stunned. 12 On that day I will carry out all my threats against Eli's family, from beginning to end. 13 I have already told him[a] that I am going to punish his family forever because his sons have spoken evil things against me. Eli knew they were doing this, but he did not stop them. 14 So I solemnly declare to the family of Eli that no sacrifice or offering will ever be able to remove the consequences of this terrible sin.”

15 Samuel stayed in bed until morning; then he got up and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision. 16 Eli called him, “Samuel, my boy!”

“Yes, sir,” answered Samuel.

17 “What did the Lord tell you?” Eli asked. “Don't keep anything from me. God will punish you severely if you don't tell me everything he said.” 18 So Samuel told him everything; he did not keep anything back. Eli said, “He is the Lord; he will do whatever seems best to him.”

19 As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and made come true everything that Samuel said. 20 So all the people of Israel, from one end of the country to the other, knew that Samuel was indeed a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued to reveal himself at Shiloh, where he had appeared to Samuel and had spoken to him. And when Samuel spoke, all Israel listened.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 3:13 One ancient translation I have already told him; Hebrew I will tell him.

Yahweh Calls Samuel

Now (A)the young boy Samuel was ministering to Yahweh before Eli. And (B)word from Yahweh was rare in those days; [a]visions were infrequent.

And it happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now (C)his eyesight had begun to fade, and he could not see well), and (D)the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of Yahweh where the ark of God was, that Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, “(E)Here I am.” Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; go back, lie down.” So he went and lay down. Then Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he [b]answered, “I did not call, my son; go back, lie down.” (F)Now Samuel did not yet know Yahweh, nor had the word of Yahweh yet been revealed to him. So Yahweh called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that Yahweh was calling the young boy. And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh, for Your slave is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 Then Yahweh came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your slave is listening.” 11 And Yahweh said to Samuel, “Behold, (G)I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 In that day (H)I will establish against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And (I)I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for (J)the iniquity which he knew because (K)his sons have been bringing a curse on themselves, but (L)he did not rebuke them. 14 Now therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that (M)the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

15 So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he (N)opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. But Samuel was afraid to tell (O)the vision to Eli. 16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And he said, “What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. (P)May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “(Q)It is Yahweh; let Him do what seems good in His eyes.”

19 Thus (R)Samuel grew, and (S)Yahweh was with him and (T)let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 So all Israel (U)from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of Yahweh. 21 And (V)Yahweh appeared again at Shiloh, (W)because Yahweh revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of Yahweh.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 3:1 Lit no vision spread abroad
  2. 1 Samuel 3:6 Lit said